3 Years Later, Netflix’s 5-Season Crime Thriller Is Still One Of Its Best-Ever Shows

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Netflix boasts a fantastic five-season crime thriller that remains a standout show on the service. While Netflix offers plenty of fantasy, sci-fi, and drama series, it doesn’t have as many gripping crime thrillers as some other streaming platforms.

As a huge fan of TV, I’ve really noticed how Netflix has become great at giving shows a second life. They’ve taken series that originally aired on traditional networks and essentially revived them with new seasons, making them feel fresh again. I’m thinking of shows like The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Arrested Development, Lucifer, and even Designated Survivor – all of those started on network TV before finding a new home and continuing on Netflix.

Top Boy is a show that originated outside of traditional American network television, coming from the UK. The crime thriller first aired on British Channel 4 in 2011, with two short seasons of just four episodes each. However, it was canceled after the second season. Fortunately, Netflix decided to bring the series back in 2017.

Netflix delivered on its commitment in 2019 with the release of Top Boy season 3, bringing back the central characters Dushane Hill (Ashley Walters) and Gerard “Sully” Sullivan (Kane Robinson), as well as most of the original cast. The first and second seasons were spaced one year apart, but there was a five-year wait between seasons 2 and 3.

The show mainly takes place in London’s Summerhouse neighborhood and centers on two drug dealers, Dushane and Sully, who are trying to become the dominant gang in the area. The third season begins with Sully and Dushane both returning to Summerhouse – Sully after being released from prison, and Dushane after a period of exile in Jamaica – determined to reclaim their power.

Throughout the show’s run, the problems in their relationship become increasingly obvious. You can easily watch all five seasons back-to-back. Don’t worry about the first two seasons being called Top Boy: Summerhouse – they’re still part of the same great story.

Top Boy Quietly Rose To Become One Of The 21st Century’s Most Hard-Hitting Crime Shows

Top Boy is a show that hasn’t gotten the attention it deserves, but those who’ve seen it rave about it. It’s a truly compelling series with a talented cast. You can expect the usual drama – betrayals, risky deals, and violence – but it also offers something deeper.

What sets this series apart is its unpredictability. Just when you think it’s heading in a typical crime thriller direction, it throws in something unexpected – like a calm conversation between characters in a back alley, or a beautifully melancholic shot of London at night. It’s a show that balances intense moments with quiet, atmospheric scenes.

Top Boy avoids simple judgments of its characters. It doesn’t portray anyone as purely good or evil, and even those who do terrible things show signs of regret. The show makes it clear that everyone carries the weight of the events that unfold, and shares in the resulting sorrow and responsibility.

Netflix significantly expanded Top Boy, making it more intense and dramatic while maintaining the original series’ distinctive style and atmosphere. All five seasons are perfect for binge-watching, and Netflix allowed the show to conclude with a well-deserved and satisfying finale.

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2026-05-18 19:58